If you have any interest in gel nails, chances are your Instagram has been flooded with ads for Ohora Nails. These semi-cured gel nail strips come in an impressive variety of patterns, colors, and effects. To top it off, the brand promises an easy, long-lasting application meant to rival a traditional gel manicure. I’ve been doing my own gel nails at home since the beginning of the pandemic, but with a five-week international trip coming up, I knew I needed a simpler, travel-friendly solution. I decided to give semi-cured gel nails a try, and with five sets under my belt, I can finally give my honest Ohora Nails review.
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What are Ohora Nails?
Ohora Nails is a Korean brand of semi-cured gel stickers. The concept is simple: after prepping your nails, you glue the sticker to your nail, trim and file the excess sticker off, and finish the curing process using an LED or UV lamp. According to the brand, the stickers should last up to 14 days—positioning its product as a simpler alternative to regular gel manicures.
They come in packs of 30 stickers, meaning you could technically use one set for up to three full manicures. The variety of patterns, finishes, and effects is incredibly impressive. At $12-$17 per set of 30 stickers, these are an affordable way to try elaborate nail art for the fraction of the price of a salon gel manicure.
Where to buy
To my knowledge, there is no physical location in the United States to buy Ohora Nails. Instead, they are available online through a variety of outlets. The brand was first made popular in the US through the website Vanity Table (the one with all of those Instagram ads!) shipping the nail sets directly from Korea. The shipping is hefty ($15), but delivery is made through DHL and arrives in the US in just a few days.
Ohora Nails has since launched its own US website in late 2021. Shipping directly from a US warehouse, it offers free shipping on orders over $50.
Ohora Nails Review & Tutorial
Ordering & Shipping: 5/5
I decided to try Ohora Nails as a travel-friendly gel mani alternative. Given I had a few trips planned (a one-week trip then a five-week trip a month later) it was the perfect time to put them to the test. Placing an order through Vanity Table was easy. Just a few days later, a DHL box with my set of Arles Night gel stickers showed up at my door. I couldn’t believe how quick the shipping was, especially given that these came directly from South Korea!
After a positive enough experience (and some optimism that I could learn how to apply them better) I placed a second order via the Vanity Table app. The app offers lots of discounts, so it’s worth checking out! Ordering via the app was just as easy as ordering online, although this time the shipping took longer (eight days). For this second order, I chose Basic Nails no. 3 and Aurore Mars, since they went perfectly with the capsule wardrobe I was taking on my longer trip.
Packaging: 3/5
The packaging is minimalistic and thoughtfully organized. The box clearly indicates the design inside, which is helpful for those who plan on keeping a collection. Inside the paper box is a smaller, opaque black plastic box. At first I thought this was wasteful (packaging for the sake of packaging) but I realized this actually serves an important purpose: the stickers cure under UV light, so the black box protects the stickers from accidental sun exposure.
Inside the box are two sheets of gel stickers in a range of sizes. In my opinion, several of them are too narrow to be useable. I got two manicures out of the set of 30 stickers, but would not be able to get a third. You’ll also find nail prep pads (disposable pads soaked in alcohol) and a mini orange stick. It’s pretty perfect for traveling, as a small box has everything you need for application (other than the UV light).
Application: 4/5
The instructions are pretty easy to follow, though as a visual learner I looked up a lot of tutorials on Youtube to make sure I was doing the right thing. The nail prep is basically the same as that of a gel manicure—you want to ensure you remove all oils from your nails with rubbing alcohol or acetone.
Once the nails are prepped, you’re ready for the sticker application. Choose the sticker that’s closest in width to each nail and apply it directly to the bare nail. The stickers do have some give and can be stretched quite a bit. However, in order to stretch them you need to touch the sticky side with your fingers, which makes them more prone to lifting.
At this point, the directions tell you to trim and file the excess before curing 1-3 times under a UV lamp. I’ve actually found it easier to cure the stickers once, trim and file, and then cure the remaining two times. Curing them before trimming makes them a little more solid, and keeps them from moving around the nail as you cut and file them.
My first full application took me about an hour. With practice, I was able to get them done in about 20-30 minutes. The application is definitely less messy than a gel manicure, as there are no liquids involved! However, as simple as the application seems, there is a considerable learning curve to learning how to do it well.
Durability 2/5
The brand promises a set of Ohora Nails can last up to 14 days. While technically true, I found it hard to wear these for over a week. Despite adequate prep (pushing back cuticles, removing oils with alcohol), all five sets of Ohora Nails I’ve done began to lift at the edges after three or four days. (There are several videos on Youtube with tips on how to avoid this, but none of them worked for me.)
The lift is not visually noticeable but will snag your hair any time you run your fingers through it. I find this to be incredibly annoying and a deal-breaker in terms of using these regularly.
To their credit, they do not chip. Of the five sets I did, only the first one chipped, and that was after 10 days of wear. They look great until you take them off, even if they become inconvenient to wear after a few days.
Removal 4/5
Removal is fairly easy—although just like the application, there’s a learning curve to doing it well. If done poorly, it can easily damage your natural nail! The easiest, safest way I found to remove them is to mix a little bit of acetone with a few drops of cuticle oil, dip an orange stick in the mixture, and slowly go back and forth underneath one of the edges to lift a little bit a time.
The good part about it is that it isn’t messy at all, unlike removing a gel manicure. It’s easy, hassle-free, with basically zero cleanup.
Are Ohora Nails Worth It?
So, are Ohora Nails worth it? That depends on your objective. If you’re looking for an easy way to try fun nail designs for a special occasion, Ohora Nails are a great option. However, if you’re looking for a long-lasting mani that won’t get in your way, then stick to your regular gel mani. I can see myself getting some fun nail art sets to wear for a few days, but would not consider these a good alternative to my trusty gel manicure.
Have you tried Ohora Nails or other semi-cured gel stickers before? If so, what did you think? If not, would you? Or what is your go-to mani method?
Stay curious,
Nati